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Redoing The House
BY JURA KONCIUS  |  OCTOBER 23, 2008

The White House reflects every family that has lived there and is always undergoing preservation.

The costs of maintenance and furnishings are covered by a variety of sources. Congress has appropriated $1.6 million a year for the repair and restoration of the White House, according to Sally McDonough, press secretary to first lady Laura Bush. As part of this appropriation, the president is granted $100,000 for refurbishment and maintenance of the family quarters every four years. (This figure was $50,000 until 1999.) Sometimes friends and supporters make private donations. The president and his family often pay for things themselves. In addition, the White House Historical Association, a nonprofit educational institution, provides money for preservation. Its two sources of income, according to association president Neil Horstman, are the $33.8 million White House Endowment Trust, which is used to refurbish White House public rooms and conserve collections, and the $6 million White House Acquisition Trust, which is used to acquire fine and decorative arts for the permanent collection.

  RONALD AND NANCY REAGAN GEORGE H.W. AND BARBARA BUSH BILL AND HILLARY CLINTON GEORGE W. AND LAURA BUSH
OVAL OFFICE RUG
The terra-cotta rug by Stark Carpet of New York cost $49,625 and was paid for by an anonymous donor. It featured a four-foot presidential seal in brown, gold and green with radiating rays.
His blue-gray rug had the presidential seal in shades of gold. It was made by Hokanson of Houston and the $28,550 was paid for by private donations.
His bold, dark blue rug had a large center medallion of the presidential seal. The $38,000 rug was made by Scott Group in Grand Rapids, Mich., and given by an anonymous donor.
He chose a rug woven with a blue seal and gold eagle in the middle with golden rays emanating out and an outer border of laurel branches. It was made by Edward Fields of New York. The $61,000 cost was paid by private donations.
MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS
The major renovation and redecoration of several dozen rooms in the family quarters upstairs took 10 months. A total of $822,641 was raised from private sources to pay for it. Many antiques were pulled out of warehouses. The movie theater was redone and plumbing updated. An exterior renovation was begun.
Four rooms were redone in the private quarters: sitting room, sun porch, a former exercise room that became a guest bedroom and the Treaty Room, above, which serves as the president's private office. The Bushes took worn, Kennedyera green felt wall covering off the walls and made the room a lighter, airier space.
There was a major overhaul of more than 25 rooms, including work on two floors of public rooms as well as the private quarters and Camp David. Swags and Victoriana were installed in the Lincoln Bedroom and Sitting Room. A Blue Room redecoration, above, included new wallpaper, upholstery and carpeting. The State Dining Room was refurbished with new carpet, curtains and upholstery. A running track was installed around the inside edge of the South Lawn.
The Lincoln Bedroom and Sitting Room, above, were redone using a scholarly interpretation to make it look as it might have in Lincoln's time. The Cabinet Room and Green Room were refurbished. There were improvements to the theater, Vermeil Room, library and Press Briefing Room. Energy efficiency was stressed by installing compact fluorescent light bulbs, low-water-consumption toilets and faucets, and LED exterior lights.
WHITE HOUSE CHINA
The Reagans ordered 220 19-piece Lenox place settings in scarlet and gold for $210,399, paid for by a private foundation. Has the seal of the president in the middle of the service plate.
The Bushes added to the flatware collection by ordering duplications of the late-19th-century gilded silver flatware in the collection for formal dinners. Made by Kirk Steiff of Baltimore.
The Clintons ordered 300 12-piece Lenox yellow-banded place settings, paid for with a donation of $240,000 from the White House Historical Association in honor of the White House bicentennial. Service plates are decorated with 24-karat-gold images of the White House.
The Bushes ordered large silver-plated serving pieces for buffet dinners and holiday entertaining, including round and oval chafing dishes, multitiered stands, punch bowls and cookie trays.
OVAL OFFICE DESK
The Resolute desk, constructed of oak timbers from the HMS Resolute, was given to Rutherford B. Hayes by Queen Victoria in 1880.
Bush chose the walnut partner's desk he had used when he was vice president. Used Resolute desk in his private office upstairs.
Resolute.
Resolute.
DECORATOR
Ted Graber of Beverly Hills
Mark Hampton of New York
Kaki Hockersmith of Little Rock
Kenneth Blasingame of Fort Worth

SOURCES: "The White House: An Historic Guide;" Sally McDonough, first lady's press secretary; William Allman, White House curator; Betty Monkman, former White House curator; Neil Horstman, president, White House House Historical Association; www.whitehousehistory.org; PHOTOS: Bill O'Leary - The Washington Post, Presidential Libraries and Duane Hampton, Blasingame, Associated Press, Los Angeles Times

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